in the latter days there will be a falling away from the faith..matthew i think.

so it maybe that we are see what the lord said would happon.

larry putnam, phenix city , alabama

It wasn't quite as the reporter is spinning it. The survey of roughly 33 thousand Americans, reflected that of the group, it showed that Protestants (in the US, Protestant tends to be a catch all that is an umbrella for various sects of the faith, and they have for the past century tended to reject their faith for a time and then re-embrace it or switch to another sect) made up 50%, as opposed to the historically tradtional 70%. Of course, the 70% statistic is extremely dated. There haven't been that majority of Protestants for a long time.

Catholics have shown a slight drop, as have other faiths. Others have seen a rise. In the words of Michael Lindsay, assistant director of the Center on Race, Religion and Urban Life at Rice University.

"Religion is the single most important factor that drives American belief attitudes and behaviors," Lindsay told The New York Times. "It is a powerful indicator of where America will end up on politics, culture, family life.

Jenny, Grand Rapids, MI, US

This is great news. Finally it looks as though the only remaining religiose Western country is beginning to see sense.

Ben, Wimbledon,

Hallelujah

Mark Tunstall, Peterborough,

Could it be that the scientific examination of religious claims and assumptions by the Templeton Foundation has something to do with the decline? I sincerely hope so.

Bob Gibson, New York, USA

The article is spinning the facts of the survey.

Out of that 16%, only 4% identify themselves as athiest or agnostic. The remaining 12% who are "nothing in particular" consider themselves spiritual, just unaffiliated.

But an article that leads with "4% of Americans are athiest or agnostic" would hardly attract interest, would it?

Check out the source itself:
http://religions.pewforum.org/affiliations

Ben Hoff, New Jersey, USA

About time the American's caught up with the rest of the world and embraced the joys of secularism, now all we have to do is see it spead to the Middle East.

Paul Singh, London, UK

does Nathan really believe that one can not have morals without religion. What is wrong with this man? Is he so weak as to believe that without 'God' he would be a bad person. Wake up.

CW, London, UK

America? Losing religion? - About time.

alan, germany,

Thank god.

Keeley Stitty, Tunbridge Wells,

Oh dear, we're all in trouble.

An America without objective morals is an America that will be prepared to do ANYTHING. We have ALREADY seen a limited version of this happen in the way America has executed the war on terror.

All we can expect is more of the same if not more extreme. Forget a new age of reason.
The "age of reason" broke out in 1900s Europe and look what happened here in the following century.

Nathan, Inverness, UK

it is now becoming, in america as it is in Britain. the facts demonstrate that the religious are becoming or are already outnumbered by secularists, yet they still claim majority status and the right to rule.
recent statisitics have shown that the majority of people in britain are of no religious affiliation and yet they are the least represented group within the country.
minority groups such as islam, judaism and other minority religions represent a tiny proportion of the population yet enjoy a disproportionate amount of governmental power and self serving legislation and yet when the majority exercise their right to act within their conscience, or complain about religious intolerance and favouritism we are branded and threatened as religious criminals and heretics by extremely vociferous religious groups. if america wants to become a secular country because it's finally growing up then so be it, let's hope the middle east grows up soon as well

kevin kennie, Glasagow,

The less Americans listen to religion the better for the world, some of the religious folowers in the USA are more of a threat to the world than the socalled Islamists. Seen some of them on the television the other night, on a trip to Israel some of their rhetoric would frighten the life out of the devil. Completely barmy to put it kindly.

waine UK, merseyside, UK